Don’t Be In Violation of AST Act - Get Tanks Labeled Now

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Owners and operators of aboveground storage tanks are encouraged to immediately begin labeling their tanks in order to comply with the requirements of the new Aboveground Storage Tank Act, passed by the state Legislature on March 14. The legislation, Senate Bill 423, requires that, at a minimum, each AST be labeled with the following information:

• the tank registration number, once it has been issued by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection; • the emergency contact telephone number for the owner or operator of the tank; and • the telephone number for the DEP’s Spill Reporting Hotline, which is 1-800-642-3074.

To comply with the law, all tanks meeting the act’s AST definition should be registered with the DEP by July 1, and display the registration number on the tank once it has been issued. DEP is recommending that AST labels or markings be placed at least 3 feet above ground level, and be clearly visible and legible from a public roadway, public right-of-way or from outside the containment area. Also, the lettering should be high-contrast colors, and should be at least 1 ½ inches in height or larger. If signs are used instead of labels, it is recommended they be at least 2 feet by 2 feet in size. Labels or markings should be kept clearly visible and legible at all times.

“Having spill contact and registration information on tanks is a common sense requirement that tank owners and operators need to pursue now,” said DEP Cabinet Secretary Randy Huffman. “Owners and operators will be subject to enforcement if unlabeled tanks are encountered.”

For more information on this and other AST requirements now in effect, please visit www.dep.wv.gov/tanks.